It Lasts Forever

Many of us probably feasted on traditional turkey dinners with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving Day, and now we are eating leftovers.

Some may also have used Thanksgiving Day as a time to think of material blessings—and to be thankful for them. And now we can be thankful for leftovers!

Life would be tough without God's blessings—including necessities, leftovers, and even some of our luxuries. But there is another blessing we should remember during the Thanksgiving season: In his great mercy he [God] has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (I Pet. 1:3b NIV)

This blessing is more important than food, shelter, clothing—or any of the less vital, but enjoyable benefits of comfortable living. Although the new birth cannot be touched or seen, it will last forever.

God gives the new birth as a spiritual feast to all who come to Him, and we never grow tired of it as we do with physical food. There will always be enough to satisfy us over and over. The new birth is an eternal blessing that offers consistent hope and joy, an inheritance can never perish, spoil or fade. . . . (v. 4a) It comes to us directly from God—and will be with us when other blessings fail.

Originally published Novemer 25, 1988.

Picture: Potted plant on deck, 2008. Photo by Solveig.

New Clothes

After the people returned from the Babylonian captivity, they were poor and they struggled. During this time Zechariah described a vision he received of the high priest named Joshua. Joshua stood before the angel of the Lord wearing ragged, dirty clothing. The angel said, Take off his filthy clothes. (Zech. 3:3b NIV)

The vision spoke of more than earthly clothing, however. It had symbolic meaning—because the filthy clothing represented sin. The angel continued, See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you. (v. 4b) Joshua also received a clean turban, and the angel stood nearby to watch while others wrapped it around Joshua’s head.

When Paul wrote to New Testament Christians, he often drew upon his Old Testament knowledge of Scripture. Perhaps he indirectly referred to the vision in Zechariah when he wrote to the Galatians: You are the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized in Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal. 3:26)

The new clothing is not physical but spiritual—and it illustrates the new life God's people receive when they accpet Christ’s death as payment for their sin.

Originally published December 30, 1983.